After an unfortunate loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in week one at home, the Patriots were eager to flush that loss and move on.
The team did just that in week two on the road in a division matchup vs the Miami Dolphins.
Mike Vrabel and the Patriots won 33-27 in a hard-fought battle to bring their division record to 1-0.
Defense
Building off their pass rush in week one, the Patriots keep that momentum going, tallying five sacks as a team down in Miami. Milton Williams had two sacks on the day, Robert Spillane one, and Harold Landry one.
The defense was also able to intercept Tua Tagovailoa late in the fourth quarter on fourth down. As Tua dropped back, the Patriots’ front forced pressure, causing Tua to roll to his left. As he rolled left, he tried to thread the needle for a first down, and Marté Mapu was right in line of the pass and picked it off. Mapu’s interception led to an Andres Borregales field goal that put the Patriots up 33 to 27.
Mapu, a preseason standout, is a player with immense potential in his new role as more of a pass-coverage linebacker within the new regime.
Offense
On the offensive side, the Patriots showed a night-and-day difference between week one and week two. In this matchup against the Dolphins, the Patriots were able to establish the run game, which is an integral part of their offense. The team totaled 122 yards on the ground, which is 62 more than they were able to get in week one.
Despite the success in the run game, the star of the show was second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
His stat line includes 19 of 23 passing for 230 yards and two touchdowns, one to Kayshon Boutte and another to Mack Hollins. On the ground, Maye had 10 carries for 31 yards and a touchdown. Numbers do not lie, but they may not always tell the full story. Maye’s pocket presence, decision-making, and ability to not put the ball in harm’s way make this game his best game of his NFL career.
Victories are always good, especially your first one, but as Kayshon Boutte said post-game:
“Can’t get too high, can’t get too low.
This line is vital as the Patriots prep for a hard matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
TJ Watt, Cameron Heyward, and company will be a true test for the Patriots’ offensive line. On the left side of the Patriots’ offensive line, rookies Jared Wilson and Will Campbell will look to build off their success in week two vs an experienced unit.
To the Patriots’ advantage, the Steelers’ offensive line has not looked the best, and the Patriots are first in the NFL in sacks.
As the Steelers are desperately looking to bounce back from a week two loss, the Patriots are prepping to win their first game of the season.
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